###
Verse 7
Breathe, I believe,
Empty without you; I can't live without you,
And I'm in love with you
###
Camila watched Lauren from the comfort of the living room as the raven haired girl busied herself in their kitchen. It was almost 2 am and Lauren couldn't sleep, even though they'd spent a large portion of the night making love and wearing one another out. The diva sipped at some hot tea, eyes trailing over Lauren's lithe figure. The raven haired girl was wearing one of Camila's old t-shirts and boyshorts, hair mussed from their passionate evening together, and Camila had to consciously stop herself from drawing her tongue over her bottom lip in mimicry of what she wanted to do to Lauren in that moment.
Fingers clasping the cup, she merely tiredly rested her head on the back of the couch. Lauren was having withdrawal pains and urges - it was the only time Lauren got up and began to clean with almost a manic desire. The raven haired girl had taken to cleaning to distract herself from the anxiety that came with being denied something her body still wanted. Even after detox, her brain still craved the peculiar experience of heroin. She had explained it to Camila once - apparently it felt something like a mixture of being in the afterglow of an orgasm and in the middle of a perfect dream. When Lauren described it that way, Camila knew that Lauren wasn't quite over her addiction. The counselor Lauren had been speaking to out of detox had informed Camila that Lauren's struggle with addiction would be a lifetime battle.
Camila was in it for the long haul. A lot of time had passed before Lauren finally seemed satisfied with how clean the kitchen was. Her silhouette fell across the floor as she gently dropped down onto the couch cushion beside Camila and dipped her head into Camila's shoulder. Lauren's hands felt clammy to Camila as they gently grasped Camila's.
"Does it hurt much?" Camila inquired ever so quietly, as if afraid any loud noise would shatter Lauren's momentary peace of mind.
Lauren nodded against Camila's collarbone, "It does. I think it's more mental than physical though."
Camila loosed her fingers from Lauren's and sifted her digits through Lauren's locks, hoping in some way to calm Lauren's anxiety. There were many things they needed to talk about - the plans for the weekend, the final show, Dinah and Normani coming, Shawn's extensive itenerary for the five of them, but Camila instinctively held all those things aside. She knew that bringing up any one of them might cause Lauren's anxiety to spike.
"Sing to me?" Lauren breathed quietly, much like she had when she was first staying with Camila and suffering from withdrawals.
Camila's lips cracked with the lightest of smiles, "Hmm," she thoughtfully brushed her nose against Lauren's temple as she pondered what to sing; her voice found a tune and she closed her dark eyes, singing a quiet lullaby.
"Always and forever we'll be free," Camila's voice delicately grazed Lauren's ear as she pulled her lover closer in her arms, feeling Lauren shivering as she commonly did when withdrawal was nearly over, "always and forever, be with me, we'll have love aplenty, we'll have joys outnumbered," Camila knew it had been one of Lauren's favorite songs, something that Lauren had never really shared with anyone, but it had been a song she'd overheard Lauren singing back in high school when she thought no one was listening.
"We'll share perfect moments," Lauren's voice was a little shaky, but beautiful as always, and she sounded like maybe she was smiling. Camila didn't want to move and disrupt Lauren's singing, so she mirrored the potential smile with one of her own, "you and me, always and forever, you will see, just be with me," Lauren seemed to be relaxing a little in Camila's arms.
Camila gently moved her hands over Lauren's arms, rubbing out the tension from her muscles the best she could, feeling the shivering stop slowly as she did so, carrying on quietly, adoration painting her features, "We'll have love aplenty, we'll have joys outnumbered, we'll share perfect moments -"
"You and me," Lauren finished with a quiet sigh. Her withdrawals seemed to have gone away, and as she turned her gaze up at Camila, she had little pools of tears in her eyes.
Camila's heart fell, face contorting with concern. Her fingers darted up and smoothed away the wrinkles on Lauren's forehead and caught tears as they fell, "What's wrong?"
Lauren shook her head, laughed tearfully, "Nothing at all. It's so weird," she murmured almost in disbelief. "Sometimes I think ..." she seemed hesitant to speak. Even over the time Camila had been sheltering her, caring about her, and even though they'd established an intimate relationship, Lauren was still (and might always be) a very guarded person, "Sometimes I think I'm dreaming. I'm so used to everything being ... bad that it's hard to believe this is real, or that it's going to last. It scares me."
"Don't be scared," Camila's words insisted, even as she continued stroking the skin of Lauren's cheeks, pressing small kisses where each teardrop dried. "Please don't be scared. I can't guarantee that things will always be perfect but I am never, ever leaving you. This isn't a dream. I can't live without you," Camila's voice broke and she closed her eyes, taking a shaky sigh, "I can't explain it. When you were gone it was like there was someone squeezing my heart in their palm, and I couldn't breathe, Lauren. You're all I thought about.
I know I'm the more vocal one of the two of us, admittedly my heart is always on my sleeve, but it was a strange feeling. I couldn't breathe without you, I felt numb. I craved even the sight of you and I felt so incredibly alone that it crushed me." Camila hesitated before continuing on, "My first year on Broadway I sent you tickets to the show, and you never came, and I didn't understand why then but it broke my heart. I'd cried to Shawn about it. I didn't know why it mattered so much."
Lauren looked a little in disbelief, silent for so long that Camila was almost afraid she'd said something wrong. As emerald eyes searched her face for some unfathomable something, Camila was half-ready to retract her words before she felt Lauren surge forward and capture her lips in a kiss that stopped her heart. Camila's hands hesitated in the air before they slid slowly around Lauren's shoulders and pulled her familiar warmth closer. She knew Lauren wasn't very good at expressing herself through words, and that this was Lauren telling her she absolutely understood what Camila meant.
###
"I hate airports. The coffee alone is enough to make one regret buying a ticket to fly," Shawn waved a dismissing hand in the air as they passed a kiosk. He nearly jumped aside as a foreign vendor approached him, and he recoiled, "No, thank you, I think I have quite enough .. nail files," he rushed out and his hand latched around Camila's arm.
Camila laughed softly, sipping Starbucks, "God, Shawn, it's not like you're going to catch some terrible virus here. Besides, we're only here to pick up Dinah and Normani."
Lauren was striding beside Camila, wearing jeans and a long coat, her gloved hand holding Camila's in her own as they approached the boarding schedule. The digital lettering ticked by and Lauren's hand flew out to the next flight listing, "10:45 am," she thoughtfully checked the clock beside them.
Camila smiled appraisingly, receiving the same smile in return and a quick peck on the lips as Lauren leaned over.
"Girls, please, you two spent so much time groping each other in the taxi that I don't think I can even bear a peck right now," Shawn stated lamely and huffed. He smoothed out his vest and sat down, crossing his legs.
Lauren shot Shawn a look, "Hey, princess, we weren't groping each other. I had my hand on her leg and she gave me a kiss - "Lauren's face lit with a smirk, "a very nice one."
Camila flushed a bright red, avoiding Lauren's penetrating gaze, trying not to giggle as she saw Shawn ruffle indignantly out of the corner of her eye. She sat down next to Shawn, and felt Lauren slip in next to her as fingers laced with her own.
"So they should be here in about 20 minutes." Lauren's heel bounced nervously in the air and green eyes locked on the gates. "I haven't seen them in so long. What if they -"
"It'll be fine," Camila gently squeezed Lauren's hand and pulled it in her lap before taking another sip of her Starbucks. "Normani sounded really excited to see you and Dinah said she wanted to know when you became a lesbian and why you weren't her first lesbian experience?" Camila couldn't help the grin that passed over her lips. It was so wide she tried to hide it behind her fingers.
Lauren's eyes narrowed dangerously before she relented with a smile as well, "I guess that's a good thing," she sounded slightly, albeit playfully, disconcerted.
Camila thought it was amusing how Lauren kept checking her watch, then her phone, then her watch, then her phone; lather, rinse, repeat, for the next 20 minutes. Sometimes she'd offer a reassuring squeeze, and eventually Lauren seemed to settle on Camila as the best cure for nervousness. They'd spent quite a few minutes just looking at one another with quiet eyes before they were brought out of their pleasant bubble by the sound of Dinah's voice.
"God damn, and here I thought you'd look like shit," the Latina grinned devilishly as she appraised Lauren on approach.
Normani shook her head, "That's not very nice, D," she was the first to hug Lauren as the raven haired girl stood.
Camila watched with a grin on her face as Normani hugged Lauren tightly, and she thought she saw Lauren smiling too as her former friend pulled away. Dinah hesitated, though, as if wondering whether to be angry with Lauren for disappearing from their lives. Lauren's expression faltered and she bit her lip nervously as she met Dinah's gaze.
Dinah folded her arms, arched an eyebrow, "You have some nerve disappearing like you did," her tone was gentle but still serious.
Lauren visibly swallowed, and Camila saw her nod imperceptibly.
"Good thing the midget found you," Dinah lightened a little as she hesitated, stepped forward, and pressed what appeared to be a gentle kiss to Lauren's cheek. Camila saw Lauren's shoulders sag in relief as she wrapped her arms around her former best friend. Camila thought maybe she heard "missed you"s being exchanged but she couldn't be sure.
Normani bounced over to her and quickly wrapped her up in a bone-crushing hug, "So you're all rich and famous now?"
Camila giggled and nodded, "Yeah, I guess," she smiled brightly and hugged Normani back. She really had missed these people - even if none of them had been very close back in high school. They were still a part of her past.
"You look really pretty," Normani stepped back and stroked Camila's hair before she gave Dinah room to step in.
Dinah's dark gaze was as penetrating as ever and Camila felt her insides twitching nervously. She hesitantly opened her arms, silently questioning Dinah for a hug, and to her surprise recieving possibly the tenderest of embraces she'd had besides Lauren's. Dinah held the hug for longer than necessary, and Camila felt herself flush a little with the warmth of it. Dinah smelled vaguely like a warm summer day, and Camila wondered why they'd never been friends.
"Thanks," Dinah murmured quietly, and Camila felt Dinah's fingers toying with the ends of her hair. "You saved her. Don't know what I would've done knowing we'd lost her."
Camila nodded simply into the embrace and after a moment peeled herself away, her hand reconnecting with Lauren's. The lovers shared a knowing gaze, Camila resisting the urge to touch Lauren's face and kiss her lips, instead placating herself by pulling Lauren's hand closer to her torso.
"So you're still a flaming Queen," Dinah turned to Shawn and smirked.
"You're still a raging bitch," Shawn smiled in return, his shoulders rising in a bit of laughter before rolling his eyes and shaking his head. Camila couldn't help the smile on her own face as the pair hugged briefly then looked as if they were afraid of contaminating one another.
Normani shrugged simply and hugged Shawn, smiling as she pulled away.
"So what are our plans?" Dinah asked as she looped an arm around Normani's waist and the group of five headed toward baggage claim.
Camila glanced back at Shawn, who in very Camila Cabello fashion had printed out copies of schedules. Dinah looked at one in disgust and tossed it into a garbage bin despite Shawn trying to dive for it, complaining about the fact it had taken him an hour to write up that schedule.
"Back to my place first, we'll get you two settled in the guest room and then I'm thinking maybe a nice dinner?" Camila suggested cautiously, and noticed Lauren was a little silent. Camila saw wheels turning behind those green eyes and had a feeling Lauren was just taking everything in, wanting to avoid rejection from two people she'd been closest to her whole life.
Dinah nodded in agreement, "Sounds good to me, that plane food is shit. And Shawn if you're spending an hour writing out a schedule you've been spending too much time with Cabello," Dinah thumbed in Camila's direction but winked at her playfully, softening the insult.
Camila smiled warmly before glancing up at Lauren, who still looked a little nervous. She pulled Lauren's glove off her hand, eliciting a strange look from the green eyed girl, before Camila dipped her head and kissed Lauren's palm delicately, as if assuring her everything would be fine. Nobody seemed to notice, but Camila didn't care if they had, because Lauren's face was alight with adoration and warmth.
###
"So how long have you been gay for Jauregui?" Dinah questioned over the dinner table. The group had gotten everyone settled in at Camila's and made it just in time for dinner reservations. Her dark eyes glanced over the table at Camila.
A little "on the spot," Camila shifted uncomfortably in her chair and glanced at Lauren momentarily, who was looking at her through her eyelashes a bit as she ate. Camila hadn't really given a whole lot of thought to this particular subject, and she cleared her throat a little before she set her fork down with a quiet clang, "Well, I suppose as long as we've been rivals there's been an amount of tension there which," she cast another sidelong glance at Lauren, who seemed to be listening with interest, "can only be explained by some kind of passion or unrequited or unacknowledged love."
"You still talk like an encyclopedia," Normani bounced a bit and glanced at her food.
Dinah glanced over at her lover and smirked, "Encyclopedias don't talk, Mani."
Lauren looked up from her meal, smiling at the exchange. Next to her, Shawn was unfolding his napkin and laying it on his lap, and he piped up easily, "Well, I could have guessed it quite some time ago, actually. Except I think it was a little more obvious on Lauren's part than Camila's."
Lauren shrugged noncomittally and smiled, "I guess so," her tone was warm and her eyes glowed a bit as she glanced over at Camila, an apologetic tint to the way she looked at Camila.
"I never would've guessed actually. And I'm a little offended that you never had a crush on me," Dinah sat back and studied Lauren carefully.
Lauren laughed a bit, causing Camila to smile with quiet admiration at her plate as she answered, "You couldn't pull off the whole sexy librarian chic like Camila could. And you don't have her legs."
"I like your legs, D," Normani batted her eyelashes at Dinah, who looked only slightly offended.
Conversation lapsed shortly after, everyone enjoying their meals and commenting on this or that. Yet, as was appropriate, Camila knew the conversation would eventually turn directly on Lauren and spotlight both her disappearance and addiction. She could sense it coming from a mile away as Dinah looked thoughtfully at a meatball, and not like the way Normani did when she was trying to decide whether or not it would bounce.
Camila slid her hand underneath the table and gently grasped Lauren's knee approximately at the same time as Dinah spoke.
"So uh," Dinah hesitated, twirling a pasta noodle absently around her fork, "how did it happen?"
Lauren paled a little and glanced down, "Too much partying, just one of those downward spirals I guess."
"But you're clean now?" Dinah looked genuinely concerned, "And no...AIDs or anything?"
Lauren smiled forgivingly, "HIV, and no, I don't have HIV. I am clean and sober, going on two weeks, since I got out of detox."
Dinah nodded thoughtfully, and Camila watched the exchange carefully. Camila felt Lauren's fingers slip into hers and squeeze as if asking for support or an out, and Camila cleared her throat, "It's going to be an everyday struggle," Camila filled in helpfully but met Lauren's eyes meaningfully, "but I know she can do it and she's not going to have to do it alone."
Camila could feel Dinah watching them carefully, as if deciding whether or not Camila could genuinely help her former best friend.
Lauren lit up after a moment when she heard Dinah speak.
"Plus she's got Mani and me to talk to again, now that she decided to stop hiding," Dinah smiled softly at Lauren and they shared a tender gaze.
"Thank you," Lauren spoke softly, eyes wrinkling with a smile before she looked between Camila and her friends, "I've even got Shawn to talk to, when I can tie him down."
Shawn gave Lauren a look and glanced away as if he could care less, but Camila didn't miss the quirk of a smile at his lips or the way Lauren nudged his shoulder.
###
They arrived home with a couple drinks in them, Dinah and Normani hanging on one another as they collapsed on Camila's couch.
"I like your place," Normani's words lazily fell together as she lay her head on Dinah's lap, then curled neatly into a ball.
"Thank you," Camila grinned a little, "I think it's rather nice." She could feel her cheeks were warm from the alcohol, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Lauren trying to take her shoes off but failing. Camila hid a laugh behind her fingers before she helped Lauren to the chair and took her shoes off for her.
Lauren looked entranced as she looked down at Camila, a slow smile creeping on her lips. The haze of alcohol was clear in her eyes but behind that was complete adoration and it made Camila shiver a little. Camila, still knelt at Lauren's feet, merely met her lover's gaze with a shy smile.
"Damn, you guys are ridic," Dinah commented as her head lulled back on the couch. "I mean I haven't seen anyone make puppy dog eyes at each other like that since..."
"You and Mani?" Shawn interjected, tipping slightly to the side as he tried to sit on a kitchen stool and nearly fell off, managing to catch himself and lean half on the counter.
Dinah scoffed lightly but her fingers were sifting through Normani's hair, "I'm not that soft."
"Sure," Shawn laughed a little, "that's why you're petting her."
Dinah glared but stayed silent.
All the while, Camila still felt locked under Lauren's loving gaze. The raven haired girl's fingers slipped downward and captured Camila's wrist, pulling the Broadway star up a little and encouraging her onto her lap. Lauren's perfect arms encircled her waist and Camila's eyes fluttered a little as she felt a pair of lips at her shoulder. She smiled affectionately, blushed, and felt it continue just a bit. Everything else seemed to fade with Lauren's attention on her.
The raven haired girl's fingers were tracing down Camila's back, dancing along her spine and causing sweet little shivers to shoot along her skin like tendrils.
"I'm glad you guys are here," Lauren stated over Camila's shoulder, although her physical attention was focused solely on Camila. Camila's fingers played at the ones resting over her stomach, tracing shapes up and down Lauren's hand occasionally. She leaned her weight gently against Lauren and lay back, resting her head easily on Lauren's shoulder. She felt as if her heart was going to explode with the amount of love in it.
"Yeah, me too," Dinah replied, starting to sound sleepy. By the looks of it, she and Normani weren't going to make it to the guest room tonight.
Lauren was still pressing lazy kisses against Camila's skin, now along her arm as Camila wrapped herself in Lauren's arms.
Lauren's eyes lingered on Camila's after a few moments, and she looked absolutely hypnotised. Her finger traced along the line of Camila's hair and she quietly leaned in, capturing Camila's lips in one of those quiet but loving kisses that left Camila feeling like a puddle of goo. She whimpered quietly against Lauren's lips, felt love surging through her like rays of light.
Afterward, Lauren pressed her forehead against Camila's, "I love you."
Camila smiled, almost tearfully, and found her lips crushed against Lauren's again. She didn't care if Shawn was protesting or Dinah and Normani were passed out on the couch. All her love poured into the kiss as her arms snaked around Lauren's neck and she pressed herself as close as possible, "Never stop," she whispered desperately against Lauren's lips before her tongue dipped in to meet her lover's, hearts and minds in a dance of courtship.
###
At some point during the evening, Camila and Lauren had made it to bed, both drunk on love. Camila found herself on top of Lauren, straddling the green eyed girl as a strangled moan fell from her lips as Lauren's familiar fingers filled her. Camila had let out such a gasp that it seemed to excite Lauren even more, and as they rocked together, Camila dipped down at captured Lauren's lips. The brunette's hips rolled passionately against Lauren's touch, gasping and panting between kisses as Lauren fucked her deeply and with purpose. Camila had only known such passion with Lauren, and as she felt Lauren's fingers curl inside her, her hunger only grew. She pulled at Lauren's bottom lip with her teeth before breaking off to moan and encourage Lauren to continue. She didn't care if they had guests, this was bliss. She could feel Lauren insert a third digit and increase the pressure inside Camila, causing Camila to buck against Lauren's palm as a thumb skirted against her clit.
As much as she could, Camila was pressed against Lauren, desperate for her kiss and her tongue as her hips rolled and insisted upon Lauren's hand, "More," Camila begged, whimpered, and gasped as Lauren conceded, rolling Camila over and spreading her wider. Lauren's hips rolled as if encouraging her fingers deeper inside Camila. A mouth found an eager nipple and bit down as Camila moaned desperately, fingers clawing at Lauren's shoulder.
Camila tried desperately to be as quiet as possible but when Lauren was nibbling at her flesh like that and her fingers were swirling so insistently inside Camila, it was hard. Her hips jutted up harshly into Lauren's touch, head rolling back and biting her own bottom lip almost hard enough to draw blood. She clawed meaningfully before her fingers tangled in Lauren's hair.
Camila knew there was a funny kind of irony as she gasped out Jesus' name and whimpered. It didn't occur to her though, and to be frank, Camila Cabello could give a shit because Lauren was fucking her into oblivion and it felt really, really good.
Lauren's lips found Camila's, almost bruising them in a passionate liplock, and as Camila came, moaning loudly into Lauren's breath, Lauren didn't stop. Camila's body trembled and Lauren's fingers still swirled and pressed and insisted, and before Camila knew it she was drenched in sweat, breathless, and coming for a third time as Lauren pressed at that perfect spot again.
She didn't notice the sunrise until Lauren slowly withdrew and began pressing kisses down Camila's torso. Camila vaguely heard herself saying something about sleep when Lauren mumbled right beneath her navel something that sounded like 'sleep when dead,' and that's when she felt Lauren's tongue dip inside her, taste her, and begin to suck at that bundle of nerves.
Camila forgot all about sunrise and getting sleep as her hips rocked into Lauren's mouth, begging, tears escaping her eyes as Lauren sought out Camila's absolute limit. Her tongue did things Camila couldn't even imagine, and the Broadway star made a brief mental note to ask Lauren to show her how to do that later.
###
"Jesus," Dinah's voice jarred Camila from exhausted sleep, "It's 3pm. I mean I know you guys were screwing like bunnies but if I recall correctly we all have a Broadway show to get to in five hours and little miss Diva has to be there in two."
Lauren grumbled and pulled Camila's bare body against her own, "Do you know how to knock?"
"Do you know how not to eat your girlfriend out when you have company over?" Dinah responded, smirking knowingly and even Camila giggled a little at the way Lauren's eyes shot open in shock, mouth agape with an unspoken retort.
Camila couldn't help the laughter that peeled from her and she buried her face against Lauren's neck, fingers curled delicately around Lauren's arms as she pulled herself closer.
"Shawn made lunch," Normani stated as she appeared in the doorway, "I'm glad Camila's getting sex now, she smiles a lot more."
The comment only made Camila laugh harder, and she could feel Lauren shaking with her own quiet laughter.
"Oh god," Lauren's voice brushed against Camila's ear, "how embarassing," she seemed to be trying to hide herself against Camila, too, as Camila laughed.
"You know, if you can replace your addiction with sex, you'll be good to go," Dinah added lastly before wheeling around, and Camila was sure she heard a smile in Dinah's words.
###
"And we're off!" Shawn smiled happily as he motioned for the girls to get in the limo. "If you girls can all keep your paws off each other we should arrive on time. Camila," he reminded the diva as she sat next to him and Lauren piled in beside Normani, "now that you're officially some kind of sex maniac," Camila flushed at the comment as he continued, "I must inform you it's not good to have sex before a show. It makes your vocal cords raw, and with as loud as you are -"
"Oh god," Lauren covered her face and buried her head against Normani's shoulder as Dinah chuckled devilishly.
"I mean you can really project," Shawn stated almost with admiration.
Dinah burst out in laughter and she shoved Lauren playfully from around Normani.
"We should stop talking about sex now," Camila commented, face fully red. Although she didn't regret being so active with Lauren, she'd never really been confronted with being teased about sex.
Dinah grinned, "I agree with Shawn, you're a show-stopper."
Lauren groaned and buried her head against her knees, shaking her head in disbelief. Even Camila had to laugh a little in embarassment.
###
"Do you guys want to see my dressing room?" Camila asked simply, her fingers intertwined with Lauren's as they strode backstage.
Mani nodded excitedly and Dinah followed.
"See you in a bit," Shawn pressed a kiss to Camila's cheek before bounding off to his own dressing room to get ready, and Camila lead the rest of the group to her dressing room.
She opened the door, "It's not too big but it's nice, and there's always a gift basket before each show," Camila motioned to the basket of baked goods on the table, "You guys can have some if you want. Show doesn't start for about an hour and a half so we can hang out in here," still holding on to Lauren's hand, she watched Dinah and Normani dig into the gift basket eagerly.
Lauren sat in Camila's chair and pulled Camila onto her lap, pressing brief kisses to Camila's fingers until the door swung open and who but Austin Mahone swaggered in.
He looked shocked at the scene before him - Camila imagined it was a shock to see his ex-girlfriend wrapped in the arms of a woman when Camila had never shown any inclination to same-sex attraction. Yet, the diva didn't move from her position on Lauren's lap and Lauren made no move to disengage, only lowered Camila's hand into her lap.
"Austin, what are you doing in here?" Camila knew she sounded annoyed, "I fired you how long ago?"
Austin looked speechless, his face contorted in disgust, "Are you a dyke now?"
The word enflamed Dinah, who flew out of her seat and immediately shoved Austin against the ajar door, slamming it shut. Her fingers wrapped tightly around his throat, "What was that?"
Camila almost didn't want to intervene, but delicately peeled herself from Lauren's arms and her fingers delicately pulled at Dinah's arm, meeting the Latina's eyes meaningfully and touching her cheek briefly before she watched Dinah step back.
Austin looked startled and upset, possibly offended, but Camila sized him up carefully as she stepped between Dinah and Austin.
"If you're inquiring as to whether I'm in a relationship with a woman, the answer is yes. I'm in a relationship with Lauren," she thumbed the air behind her and saw a flash of Lauren's hand a few feet behind her. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use such deragatory terms when it comes to my relationship and my integrity. Now if you'll see yourself out, I'd appreciate it." She didn't give him much choice as she pushed him aside, opened the door, and stepped aside to reveal a still frothing-at-the-mouth Dinah.
Austin had no response as he stumbled backward to avoid Dinah's threatening stance, "I'll ruin you for this," was all he had to say as he retreated.
###
"You're amazing!" Normani pounced into Camila's arms and squeezed the diva tightly after the show, all traces of Austin forgotten. "I can't believe that was really you up there!"
Dinah nodded appreciatively and nudged Lauren, "You should be proud of your girl, she's really a star. And I thought all that talk in high school was bullshit."
Camila smiled tearfully, happily, and wrapped her arms around Lauren's waist as she looked at Dinah and Normani, "Thank you guys, I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"And you, Gaga, even you deserve a compliment," Dinah's gaze moved over Camila's shoulder somewhere and Camila felt a hand at her free side as Shawn joined them.
"Thank you," Shawn stated proudly and smiled. "Now let's get out of here because I'm exhausted."
"Agreed," Camila sighed into Lauren's shoulder as she felt the raven haired girl's arm wrap around her. Lauren's lips pressed against her forehead and Camila smiled. The group made their way out of the back entrance, but the joyful atmosphere was shattered as soon as bulbs flashed in Camila's face.
Reporters shouted in Camila's direction and Camila tried to hide herself against Lauren. She'd been faced with papparazzi before but never before with this kind of maliciousness in the air.
"Is it true you're a lesbian?" One shouted.
"Is it true you fired your manager without any reasoning?"
"Miss Cabello, were you at once dating your manager? Do you realize there's no professional regard for such behavior?"
"Are you aware that your acting company has a policy against unprofessional behavior?"
Dinah seemed to be the only one capable of firing back as she knocked the camera out of one of the reporter's hands, "Get out of here, you slime," she snarled and her lover guided Lauren and Camila back to the limo waiting at the backstage entrance. "Go on, hounds, write this in your shit magazines: Camila Cabello is a human being and deserves to live without you idiots questioning her choices. She's also a fucking superstar."
Camila couldn't help the grin on her face as she heard the words and saw Dinah pile into the limo. Both she and Normani threw their arms around Dinah and hugged her despite the Latina's protest. Even Shawn patted Dinah thankfully on the shoulder.
Inside, Camila was scared. What would this mean for her career? Would the acting company really reprimand her? There was no doubt that Austin had been the one to shed light on the situation. She'd done everything in her life to end up on Broadway, met great success on its stage, and now her happiness was being threatened by her choice to actually be happy.
Camila felt Dinah's warm arms squeeze her before releasing the diva to Lauren's embrace, and Camila glanced up at Lauren, her lover, the person she wanted to save, the person who'd so quickly become everything, and she wanted desperately to believe that everything would be fine. Lauren's fingers sifted through Camila's hair and she took an easy breath against Lauren's collarbone, squeezing herself tightly in her lover's arms. What would she do if she lost everything she'd worked for? What would she do if she lost her Broadway stardom? Would it really matter?
Camila felt guilty. It would matter, but what mattered more was Lauren, and she could be certain of nothing else as she opened her eyes, leaned up, and pressed her lips softly and lovingly against Lauren's.
"I love you," Camila whispered, carefully pressed another kiss to Lauren's mouth, and felt Lauren smiling against her.
They'd figure it out.
-
A/N: Hallo peoples. It's Maria. I'm Selene's girlfriend. So right now she's in the desert getting lit af and so she asked me to post the next chapter for you guys.
Now I've been told that the last chapter won't be posted until Selene gets at least 20 comments on the A/N. So for your sake and mine. Pls comment. I wanna see how this story ends.
Okiiii. Das all for now. Bye bye everyone and have an awesome day (or night depending on your time zone)
- Maria